Diapering Update

Cynthia Rowley's new disposable Pampers for Target debut this month!

I think it is time for an update confession on my diapering. One question that my friends who follow my mommy antics often ask me is "are you still cloth diapering?"

The answer is yes and no. Allow me to explain.

It all started when Olivia started peeing through her cloth diapers in April (8 months old) at bedtime no matter how much I doubled them up. We moved to using disposables only for bedtime, so I had to buy them in larger quantity than when we just used them for travel and outings. With a larger quantity of disposables at-hand,  the nanny rejoiced! She had been trying to convince me for months how cheap disposables were at Sam's Club and now at last she had them and didn't have to deal with poopy pants every other day. haha! I would tell her I didnt't want her using them all day and she tells me "Oh, Miss Marina I just use them for her morning poo and then I put cloth on her after her first messy diaper." This was true for about a month, but keeping up with both disposables (one bin) and cloth (another bin) is Annoying. You really have to be all-in --one way or the other. So, the next thing I know, Olivia is wearing disposables all day long and a cloth with me (the cheap skate) and daddy (who never noticed we stopped using cloth during the day in the first place) but at bedtime (just 2 hours after I get home from work) we went right back into disposable for leak protection.

Soon, I rationalized using disposables on weekends to save myself from having to do a load of laundry on Sunday night of the weekend's poopy pants. The next thing you know I am buying bulk disposables on a monthly basis with tons of coupons and CCD is asking me at the store, "I thought we're using cloth diapers?" Embarrassed and defeated I would respond, "yes we are babe, but these are on sale and I have coupons, and we use them on-the-go and weekends." Basically I was lying to myself.

Today we only use cloth diapers on occasion, such as the brief period after Charm City Baby wakes up and gets her first bottle before its time to get her dressed for the day, or just playing around the house, and (most often) when we are out of disposables. They are still great and fit wonderfully!

So we have completely reversed and are back to disposables--where we started when she was a newborn. We had a good 6 month sprint of cloth diapering which undoubtedly saved us a lot of money, but exclusive use of cloth diapers is now over.

Maybe we will revisit them when its time to potty train. I will not commit this time. Instead I will just safely say, we'll see.

First Birthday Planning...

is coming along nicely.

My plan to keep it low key, and low budget is still on course as Charm City Daddy is not involved in the planning. When I asked CCD what we should do to make the party special he suggested...petting zoo!  Then I looked up the cost of a petting zoo and realized it costs what I wanted to pay for the entire party. Cha-Ching! I don't think Olivia needs 2 ponies at her first birthday party--we need something to strive for later. Plus, she'd be happy just to see a dog (*tear, *tear). If I can barter the animal people down to small bunnies, chicks, ducks, guinea pics and baby animals only--I think I can get the price down. We'll see. Stay tuned.

Thanks to some very talented Etsy artists,  to date I've spent hardly anything on decor, custom invites, custom bag tags, custom and assorted cupcake toppers, cupcake wrappers, paper goods, and props like a cupcake stand I can reuse. Here's some of what we've got so far...

1. Tissue for Pom Poms
2. Animal Garland (2)
3. Animal Napkins
4. Animal Toppers (will be used for hors d'oeuvres)
5. Cupcake Stand
6. Cupcake Wrappers
(not pictured but purchased: custom invites, custom bag tags, and custom cupcake toppers).

Now that I see everything together, I'm thinking it needs some girlie touches.  I have to work on that with fresh flowers, and using ribbons to hang the pom poms or something.

Still to do: 

• Brainstorm kids' games/entertainment: One down (ball pit!), many more to go.
• Determine gift bag/favors
• Cupcakes- make 'em? or order 'em? 
• Determine a kid and adult-friendly menu
• Make a photo DVD of CCB's first year to play on repeat in the living room.
• Figure out outdoor seating situation

We are exactly 30 days away today! Ahhhh!

Baby Steps

At 11 months and 5 days old, Olivia took her first steps today! For the last few weeks she has been walking around holding onto our point finger not realizing that she can do it on her own. This weekend I watched her take 4 steps in her crib while holding her lamb blanket in both hands---she didn't even realize she was doing it. I've learned that it takes time. It is a mental level of comfort babies have to feel.

Today that little switch in her head just clicked and she willingly took steps towards us on her own--stepping away from the furniture. Yay! Charm City Daddy and I were so excited laughing and clapping and screaming and she reacts with the same excitement and screams. The full length mirror in our bedroom is great motivation too. She easily walked 5 feet unassisted towards her reflection. She seems to favor the right leg and gets going nearly sideways after a few paces. So cute.

The first official steps took place this morning before work but we had no camera around (as I literally came sprinting out of the shower soaking wet to Charm City Daddy's screaming and clapping). When we got home from work Charm City Daddy just grabbed his blackberry so here it is---11 seconds, dark, and fuzzy--and full of screams!